The ‘Rebirth’ of the EU as an Audit Legislator

Abstract

In April 2014, important new audit legislation was adopted by the European Parliament and the Council, i.e. the 2014 Auditing Directive and the PIE Regulation. In the author’s opinion, the role of the EU as an audit legislator has significantly changed over time. More specifically, the new audit legislation indicates the ‘rebirth’ of the EU as an audit legislator. The article focuses on the role of the EU as an audit legislator, even though the EU also has an important role to play as an accounting legislator. The most important legislative acts when it comes to EU audit legislation are discussed. A number of important trends in EU audit legislation are also identified and discussed. These include an increased legislative focus on Public-Interest Entities (PIEs), a change from a ‘directive only’ to a ‘directive and regulation’ legislative paradigm, a legislative change from the ‘periphery’ to the ’core’ of auditing, ‘codification’ of provisions from the International Standards on Auditing (ISAs) in EU legislation as well as a discussion on a possible EU adoption of the ISAs. Auditing, audit legislation, 8th directive, green paper, financial crisis, auditing directive, pie regulation, public-interest entities (pies), international standards on auditing (ISAs)